Jagannath Sagar Sangharsh Samiti Announces Mass Demonstration on 28th
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Jagannath Sagar Sangharsh Samiti Announces Mass Demonstration on 28th

Jeypore: A meeting was held at the Jaynagar Park premises under the banner of Mo Jagannath Sagar Trust to discuss the revival of Jagannath Sagar. The meetting, presided over by Rajanikanth Nayak, saw the participation of intellectuals and officials from the city, who deliberated on the restoration of the lake.

During the meeting, the Jagannath Sagar Sangharsh Samiti was formed to lead the fight for the lake’s restoration. It was decided that the committee would organize a mass demonstration on the 28th of this month.

On that day, a procession will start from Rajanagar Square and proceed towards Traffic Square, where all officials and members will sit in a dharna (sit-in protest) from 10 AM to 5 PM. Following this, a memorandum of demands will be submitted to the Sub-Collector. The committee also warned that if no action is taken within 10 days, they will be compelled to escalate their agitation.

All residents of Jeypore, irrespective of political affiliations, have been urged to join the movement. The meeting was attended by committee members, including Niranjan Panigrahi, Chandrasekhar from Bariguda, and other officials.

Authorities Urged to Prioritize Public Welfare and Development
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Authorities Urged to Prioritize Public Welfare and Development

Tentulikhunti: Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi conducted a review meeting at the Pujariguda Panchayat office under Tentuligundi Block. The meeting was attended by BDO Kapildev Sahu, Pujariguda Sarpanch Anadi Majhi, and other departmental officials. The MP emphasized that integrated efforts from all departments are crucial for the development of the block. He advised all officials to be responsible and proactive in ensuring the welfare of the people.

During the meeting, MP Majhi reviewed housing schemes and expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress of toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission. He also addressed issues related to irrigation, where out of 14 applicants, only 4 received approvals. He stressed the importance of Aadhaar card corrections and renewals and raised concerns over why local fish farming was not happening despite the presence of the massive Indravati Reservoir, leading to fish imports from Andhra Pradesh.

Due to the absence of BDO Sunil Khura, the review meeting at Nandahandi Block’s Habradongar Panchayat office could not take place. However, MP Majhi visited the location and interacted with Zilla Parishad member Arun Mishra, Samiti member Abhimanyu Nayak, Sarpanch Gunamachi Saura, and other officials. Discussions were held on preparing a detailed report on fisheries development, and Narayan Patra proposed constructing fish ponds in areas where soil had been excavated for river embankment work.

MP’s Visit to Changarbheja Panchayat

MP Majhi later visited Changarbheja Panchayat but was displeased as neither the contractor nor the engineers were present at the bus stand construction site, where a ₹9 crore project was underway. He emphasized identifying and assisting the poor with pensions, housing, cooking gas under Ujjwala Yojana, and clean drinking water facilities. Officials were also directed to monitor the martyr Madho Singh memorial site and ensure proper school infrastructure in the district.

MP’s Review Meeting at Tentulikunti

During the Tentulikunti review meeting, MP Majhi advised officials to empower women and children, identify SHGs (Self-Help Groups) for the Lakhpati Didi program, and promote Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. He also directed electricity officials to stop unauthorized power cuts and instructed additional tehsildar Simanchal Patra to allocate government land for housing the landless.

Before the meeting, the MP visited the Eklavya Model Residential School construction site and expressed displeasure over delays. He also inspected the Mera Lift Irrigation Project at Hepaguda, discussing its progress with engineers. At Lamataguda, he visited a drinking water supply project, expressing concern over the delayed completion despite surpassing the project deadline.

MLA Gaurishankar Majhi Reviews Local Situation Amid Growing Concerns
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MLA Gaurishankar Majhi Reviews Local Situation Amid Growing Concerns

Nabarangpur A devastating fire broke out at Paleyguda, near the local Akhubar, under the Nima Panchayat of Koshtaguda block. According to reports, the fire engulfed over 100 acres of land, including farmlands previously used for cultivating paddy and later used for sugarcane farming. Farmers, who have been dependent on sugarcane cultivation for years, expressed their distress over the incident.

Upon receiving the news, MLA of Nabarangpur, Gaurishankar Majhi, immediately contacted the fire department. He personally visited the affected areas in Derunigundi and Nandahandi blocks. The Koshtaguda Fire Station (16 km away) and the Jeypore Fire Station from Kotpad in Koraput district (5 km away) responded promptly and managed to bring the fire under control.

The fire is suspected to have originated from an electrical short circuit in the fields and quickly spread due to dry weather conditions and strong winds. Some local women noticed the fire while returning home and alerted others. The blaze caused extensive damage to sugarcane crops in over 100 acres of land, affecting many farmers, including:

Govind Majhi – 2 acres

Bhadrak Atmari – 74 cents

Tularam Majhi – 70 cents

Jay Singh Majhi – 84 cents

Gopiram Majhi – 70 cents

Gatamari – 80 cents

Chaitanya Majhi – 40 cents

Rupa Majhi – 40 cents

Soku Mari – 1 acre

Pitambar Majhi – 50 cents

Tumardhar Majhi – 50 cents

Lakshman Majhi – 50 cents

Chamnan Ichha – 50 cents

Padmal Ichha – 50 cents

Jinga Ichha – 50 cents

Kima Panchayat Sarpanch Bas Kalana – 1 acre

The incident has left farmers devastated, as sugarcane is their primary source of income after paddy cultivation. Many had taken loans or mortgaged valuables to fund their farming activities.

MLA Gaurishankar Majhi visited the affected site and expressed his concern over the farmers’ plight. He instructed the local tehsildar to conduct an immediate assessment of the losses. Additionally, he assured farmers that he would discuss compensation measures with the district collector and government officials. Fire Station Officer Prasad Behera from Koshtaguda Fire Station confirmed that the fire was completely brought under control.

Severe Water Crisis Hits Gaudaguda, Angry Villagers Confront Officials
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Severe Water Crisis Hits Gaudaguda, Angry Villagers Confront Officials

Nandahandi: Today, residents of Dangarbheja Gaudsahi under Nandahandi block surrounded departmental officials in protest over the ongoing drinking water crisis. A heated argument took place between the locals and RWSS officer Prakash Mishra. After several attempts to pacify the villagers, the officials managed to leave the area.

According to the residents, some individuals are using motorized pumps to extract water, leaving others without access to drinking water. The villagers have warned that if the issue is not resolved immediately, they will stage a protest in front of the block office by holding a sit-in demonstration.

Community Leaders Raise Concerns

Prominent locals, including Amit Vikram Dash, Rameshwar Soura, Bhuban Gaud, Harihar Gaud, Tapan Nayak, Deb Bhatar, Subhasini Gaud, Tulasa Gaud, and Debaki Gaud, have expressed their worries. They stated that summer is approaching, and the village, home to over 300 people from 70 families, relies on just four tube wells. Due to a declining water table, residents are forced to wait for hours just to collect a bucket of water.

Fights over water have become common, especially as the ongoing Bali Yatra festival has worsened the situation. The pipeline supply is inconsistent, and when villagers try to fetch water from other areas, they must wait until the locals there have finished using the tube wells.

Repeated complaints to the authorities have gone unheard, leading to today’s protest. In response, JE Shri Mishra assured that the water crisis in the village would be resolved within the next 10-12 days.

Two Agriculture Officers Caught Red-Handed in Bribery Vigilance Trap
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Two Agriculture Officers Caught Red-Handed in Bribery Vigilance Trap

Nabarangpur/Umarkote: Umarkote Assistant Agriculture Officer Nilakantha Parida and Block Technology Manager (BTM) Surendra Singh Bundela have been caught in a vigilance trap. Both were apprehended while accepting a bribe of ₹5,000 from a farmer to facilitate a subsidy for borewell digging. The vigilance team seized the marked cash from them.

Following their arrest, raids were conducted at multiple locations, including the Assistant Agriculture Officer’s office, his rented house in Dhodara, his ancestral home in Nuagaon block, and the BTM’s office, government quarters, and other premises.

The case pertains to farmer Lakhidhar Majhi from Jampadar village in Singsari Panchayat under Umarkote block, who had dug a borewell under the Jalanidhi scheme. The scheme provided a subsidy of ₹50,000, and the two officers demanded ₹5,000 as a bribe to process the verification report. Lakhidhar reported the matter to the Nabarangpur Vigilance Department.

How the Trap Was Executed

Today, both officers visited the farmer’s land for inspection and later demanded the bribe. Lakhidhar invited them to his house, saying he would hand over the money there. Around 12 noon, after the inspection, the officers arrived at his house, where the BTM, Bundela, accepted the bribe. The vigilance team, which had already set up the trap, caught them red-handed and seized the cash.

Following this, the Vigilance team raided the Umarkote Agriculture Office and seized relevant scheme-related documents. Both officers were taken to the Jeypore headquarters for interrogation.

Investigations revealed that BTM Bundela is originally from Gwalior, while Assistant Agriculture Officer Parida is from Jagatsinghpur district.

Officials Involved in the Operation

The raid was led by DSP Jayashree Pradhan, along with officers Ajit Padhi, Dibyanandan Behera, Basant Bag, Balaram Majhi, and Nagabhushan Nayak.

District-Level Workshop Held to Discuss Forest Land Patta Distribution
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District-Level Workshop Held to Discuss Forest Land Patta Distribution

Baipariguda: A district-level workshop on forest land rights was organized in Baipariguda block by the CWS organization, involving members of Forest Land Committees.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Zilla Parishad Chairperson Susmita Meleka as the chief guest, District Forest Rights Act Committee Member Raghu Jani as the presiding officer, Group Development Officer Nibedita Dandasena, Zilla Parishad member Mani Jani, committee member Rajeshwar Mahuria, and Sarpanch Sada Muduli.

More than 100 members from over 20 Forest Land Committees participated in the workshop.

During the event, Susmita Meleka emphasized the rights of forest dwellers and their responsibility to protect the forests. She directed that efforts should be made to ensure individuals receive patta (land titles) for forest land.

The meeting also discussed the challenges in obtaining forest land rights, and participants shared their concerns.

The workshop was led by State Program Officer Balakrishna Panda, with social activist Pradeep Maharana assisting in the session. The event concluded with a vote of thanks.

Tragic Blaze: Two Children Burned Alive as Hut Catches Fire
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Tragic Blaze: Two Children Burned Alive as Hut Catches Fire

Lanjigarh: In a heart-wrenching incident, two innocent children were burned alive after a fire broke out in a temporary shepherd’s hut made on farmland used for Kandul (pigeon pea) cultivation. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the region.

According to reports, the mother had gone to the nearby forest to collect firewood, leaving her children inside the hut. When she returned after some time, she found the makeshift hut engulfed in flames, with her children trapped inside. Both children were burned alive in the fire.

This tragic incident occurred in Talabora village of Lakhabahali Panchayat under Lanjigarh Block in Kalahandi district. The victims were the five-year-old son and four-year-old daughter of village residents Bada Bishi Majhi and Punari Majhi.

On the morning of the incident, the two children were playing inside the hut built on their hilly farmland while their mother, Sunari Majhi, was a short distance away collecting firewood. Suddenly, the hut caught fire, and before anyone could intervene, the children were burned alive. By the time Sunari rushed back after hearing the screams, everything was already reduced to ashes.

The parents, devastated by the loss of their children, performed the funeral rites in the village cremation ground. Due to a lack of awareness about legal procedures, they did not inform the police administration about the incident.

Meanwhile, the grieving parents are inconsolable, and locals have demanded government assistance for the affected family.